The thief then reaches inside the motionless shop owner's trouser pocket, and pulls out his wallet before squeezing his shoulder.

While gently talking throughout his routine, he then appears to mime the gesture of a pregnant woman before pointing at his belly.

He then reaches into Mr Haider's other pocket and pulls out hundreds of pounds in cash before tapping him once more on the shoulder and quickly walking out.

Mr Haider snapped out of the trance a few seconds later, and shouted, "Oi, oi, excuse me" but the thief then pushed past another customer and fled the shop.

The robber appears to pull contents from Mr Haider's pockets as he stands motionless

A friend of Mr Haider said: "We had no idea Aziz had been hypnotised. When he told me what happened I just thought, how could he have just let someone hug him and start going through his pockets?

"He said he just suddenly realised the man had stolen from him and ran out of the shop to find him but he got away.

"He had hundreds of pounds stolen from him. It's worrying if people can do that, other people might do the same."

Police are appealing for information about the robber, who is described as between 30 and 35 years old, Eastern European, 5ft 8in tall, slim with short black hair. He was wearing dark jeans, a grey polo shirt and a black bomber jacket with white writing just below the collar.